The effect of a high dose of vitamin D on spatial learning and memory in rats

Abstract

“Vitamin D” is a prohormone steroid and has a place with the fat-soluble vitamins. It’s liable for endocrine, paracrine and autocrine functions. Vitamin D is likewise basic for calcium absorption, bone mineralization, calcium and phosphorus homeostasis, nerve conduction, hormonal release, and neuromuscular function, acts as a natural antioxidant. Its impact on learning has not been widely reported. In the literature, there are several of discrepancies among age groups when it comes to this condition. This study aimed to see how vitamin D supplementation affected the cognitive performance of young male rats in the Morris water maze. Serving this purpose, 36 young male Wistar rats aged 8 weeks old age was divided into three groups with the control group (oral gavage normal saline), low dose vitamin D group (400 IU/ day) and high dose vit D group (1000 IU/ day. Rats were tested for their capacity to memorize the location of a platform after 8 weeks of daily supplementation in two phases: acquisition (next 3 days, fixed platform location), and retention (next 3 days, variable platform location) (forth day, removed platform). There were four trials per day (interval between trials 20-25 minutes). In spatial learning and working memory, the time spent finding the platform and duration of time spent in the quarter area of the maze including the platform were compared statistically in a number indicating the percentage of total time. There were no significant inter-group differences (p>0,05). From the first to the third day of training, all groups of animals improved their learning performance while decreasing the time spent searching for the platform (p<0,05). In this study, it was shown that 8 weeks of 400 and 1000 IU/day vit D application did not have any effect on learning to locate, but it did not cause impairment in the learning process either.